I crept more than jumped at the chance to play The Swapper. Moody, dark, lonely games aren’t my usual fare. I prefer stories of hope with dramatic events. You are the unnamed and not so intrepid space suit bound adventurer unraveling an abandoned mining project. Did Theseus dig too deep? What has become of the crew?

Gentle GUI

Developed for PC and released by Finland’s Facepalm Games in 2014, its simplistic but engrossing visual style evokes memories of 2001: A Space Odyssey. With but a voice and detached events to whet your appetite, I was impressed by the effectiveness of the traditionally designed assets. A film-grain haze obscures your every action, bringing with it a 1970s presentation that re-enforces tension and obscures your perception.

Light is a Challenge

Color is used in concert with the primary mechanic to great effect: Once in possession of the cloning tool, you can create four copies of yourself that echo your every movement. Swapping into any of these is your chief method of reaching platforms and even remaining airborne. Walk into a clone to reabsorb it and beware of red, blue and purple lights that impede the functionality of your only utility. How you cope with these obstacles is a matter of patience and logic.

Don’t Get Lost

As with most puzzlers, there really is only one answer: The collection decryption orbs that unlock terminals and your progression. The Swapper quickly absorbs you in its aesthetic and performs without a solitary hitch or hiccup. It is true the barest of effects are present, but imaginably this title will run on most systems with even moderate graphics acceleration.

The Swapper has familiar elements, and its protagonist voicelessly encourages you to unravel the enigma of Thesis and its inhabitants. Serendipitously buy ativan launched in an escape pod that tips over upon landing evokes amusement as much of the nature of its construction. As something of a space oddity, your little tin can does know the way.

There’s a special, unrecognized delight in that reference.

Swapper Creep

Everything in the game feeds the atmosphere, and the soundtrack both emphasizes emotional moments and serves as situational set pieces. In a crew section, a dramatic and moodily played piano speaks volumes of sophistication of the former inhabitants. Log files tell the tale of a project gone wrong in small bites written with skill.

Importantly, and really as a side note, keyboard and gamepad controls are configurable and selectable at launch. Facepalm swept the dust away, leaving the final piece to be contemplated in its complexity and depth.

What’s fun: The story is deep, told in a breadcrumb style. Visuals are instantly engrossing and controls are exact. This game could almost as easily survived a movie adaptation, but I’d just as soon there wasn’t one. Arguably a masterpiece. he story is deep, told in a breadcrumb style. Visuals are instantly engrossing and controls are exact. This game could almost as easily survived a movie adaptation, but I’d just as soon there wasn’t one. Arguably a masterpiece, and the industry responded by handing out a plathora of well deserved awards.

What’s not: While the mechanics of cloning are few, once through the basics you will encounter rooms which will expect more than your first-encounter mastery may provide. Hardly a glitch or result of poor planning: A little practice and reflex conditioning will serve you through the rest of the game.

Recommendation: While this isn’t a horror title, cloning is a touchy, disturbing subject. If this is what you’re interested in, scoot right on over to Facepalm’s website for a DRM free edition, or get your fix on Steam, GOG.com, the PlayStation Network or XBox Marketplace.